Our Kiwi lifestyle is indicative of our love of nature and the outdoors. This is also reflected in today’s contemporary home designs featuring expansive outdoor alfresco areas, which are perfect for entertaining family and friends year-round.

In our previous blog we talked about creating a seamless transition from the indoor living area to the outdoor entertainment area. However, in conjunction with designing a welcoming and functional area, thoughtful planning and consideration should also be given to landscaping. A well-designed garden not only provides a beautiful outlook, it’s integral to your home’s liveability, and provides privacy from neighbours, security for your family and a fun space for children to play.

Most of us have a vision of the garden we want to create, however It’s important your outdoor spaces link well with the style and ambiance of your home, rather than each running their own race.

Firstly, sketch out a basic plan (seeking help from the experts if needed!) Include the house’s position on the section, proposed driveways, paths and fencing. Also note where the sun hits your property, water flow, prevailing winds and privacy needs. Bear in mind sections come in different shapes, sizes and levels. Some are flat, others are sloping and may require levelling or terracing, which can add interest and functionality.

There are two main landscaping elements to consider:

Structural ‘Hard’ Landscaping including:

• Driveways/Paths
• Fencing (creates boundaries, provides security and privacy)
• Paving (leads you through your outdoor space. Remember to choose paving that compliments your planting and colour scheme)
• Stone Steppers (ideal for walkways or garden edging, blending naturally with the surroundings)
• Garden Edging (straight angular patterns create a formal feel in the garden, whereas curved edging provides natural garden flow)
• Stones/pebbles/rocks/mulch (adds colour and texture, and aids in weed control)
• Feature walls (provides interest and the wow factor)
• Water features (can instantly transform your garden into a tranquil oasis)
• Lighting (creates evening ambiance and illuminates paths and driveways for safe walking at night)
• A fire pit (a perfect feature for your outdoor area, providing warmth and interest in your garden)

‘Soft’ Landscaping including:

• Lawn Selection (needs to be durable, weed resistant and easy to maintain)
• Plant Selection (where possible choose native plants as they are hardy and adapted to the local climate and soils, and require minimal maintenance)
• Garden beds (add great colour and texture to the garden, selecting the right colour pallet to suit the theme you want to achieve)

Also, an important point to bear in mind is that many subdivision developers will ask you for your landscape plan as part of the approval process. They’re most interested in the street appeal. Talk to our team at Hallmark Homes about how we can help you with this.

Why not come along and view our new showhome ‘The Lochy‘ which is a wonderful example of a home designed for all year outdoor entertaining, encapsulating innovative landscaping that complements the structural elements of the home and your family’s lifestyle.

Contact Hallmark Homes to discuss how we can help design a home that is perfectly designed from the indoors out!